Arkansas officials not ready to OK 75 mph limit on highways LITTLE ROCK — While a new Arkansas law that took effect Tuesday authorizes speeds of up to 75 mph on some major highways, state highway officials said, "Not so fast." Engineers are still studying road designs and traffic patterns to determine whether Arkansas should join 18 other states with speed limits at least that high, Department of Transportation spokesman Danny Straessle said Tuesday. It's possible that no part of the state's 16,432-mil...

Tips offered for viewing solar eclipseIn preparation of the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, park interpreters at Lake Dardanelle State Park and Mount Nebo State Park have scheduled programs about eclipses. They will teach people how to safely view an eclipse, what the consequences of not properly taking precautions are and what an eclipse is. “We’re trying to make sure people have the knowledge and skills to view the eclipse safely,” Megan Ayres, Lake Dardanelle State Park park in...

US gains 209K jobs, unemployment rate falls to 4.3 pct.WASHINGTON — U.S. employers added 209,000 jobs in July, a second straight month of robust gains that underscore the economy's vitality as it enters a ninth year of expansion. The unemployment rate slipped to 4.3 percent from 4.4 percent, matching a 16-year low first reached in May, the Labor Department said Friday. But growth in Americans' paychecks — a persistent weak spot since the recovery began in June 2009 — remains stubbornly slow. Avera...

Obituary: Henry CrowATKINS — Henry C. Crow, 86, of Atkins, died Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017, at the Perry County Nursing Center in Perryville. He was born April 14, 1931, in Canada, son of W.T. and Delia Bohannon Crow. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers; one son; Gary Don Crow. He is survived by son, Jimmy Crow; two daughters, Kathy, Sandra Lucas; two brothers, Raymond Crow, Arnold Crow; sisters, Minnie Hodge, Jewel Hoskins; and a number of grand...

Obituary: Clara EwingATKINS — Clara Jo Nelson Ewing, 78, passed away Aug. 2, 2017, in Corvallis, Mont. She was born Dec. 22, 1938, to the late Charley and Lillie Bradburry Nelson. She graduated from Pottsville in 1956 and was an outstanding basketball player. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, George Ewing; a son, Pat Ewing; three brothers, Charley Gerald, and Floyd and a sister, Loretta Sue. She is survived by one son, Mike Ewing and wife Wend...

Obituary: Stephan MillsapDANVILLE — Stephan Anthony “Steve” Millsap, age 59, of Cabot passed away Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017. He was born Feb. 16, 1958, in Russellville, to Leon and Jo Millsap. He was retired from Petit Jean Poultry. He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his son, Zachary Millsap of Texas; brothers, Rick and Sandra Millsap of Danville; Mark and Kristin Millsap of Little Rock; and mother of his son Elizabeth Millsap of Texas. A private g...

Obituary: Sylvia HollowoaSylvia Shirlene Hollowoa, 79, of Russellville passed away Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017, at her home in Russellville. The daughter of James and Doyle Whorton Hood, she was born Aug. 19, 1937 in London. She was a graduate of Capital City Business College. She married Troy Hollowoa, on April 8, 1955, at Russellville. She was an office clerk with the Russellville Housing Authority for many years. One of Shirlene’s many accomplishments included her being ...

Obituary: Donna CrockerDonna Crocker, 80, of Russellville passed peacefully and surrounded by her family, Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017, at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Russellville. The daughter of Elgy Green and Lola Reynolds Green Otts, she was born Sept. 29, 1936, in Steele, Mo. She and Charles Crocker were married on May 28, 1954, in Mississippi. Donna worked as a Postal Clerk at Arkansas Tech University for 15 years and enjoyed gardening, reading and art....

Obituary: Ida CarrATKINS — Ida Evelyn (Pack) Carr, 88, formerly of Hector, passed away Monday, July 31, 2017. Our precious Ida was born Oct. 24, 1928, in Hector, daughter of the late John Roy Pack and Mary Josephine Walker Pack (McEntire). She was preceded in death by her parents; her step-father, Marshall McEntire; her loving husband, Cleburne Ray Carr; and three brothers and a sister-in-law, William Cletis Pack, Willard Clint Pack and Kenneth Pack and wife Je...

Tax-free weekend approachesWith the welcoming of August comes the highly anticipated annual tax-free weekend. Per Act 757 of 2011, the state conducts a sales tax holiday during the first weekend in August each year which entails no state or local tax on items such as clothing, apparel accessories and school supplies. This year, the event will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday and end at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. According to a representative for the 2017 Arkansas Sales Tax Ho...

Arkansas panel halts action on juvenile lifers' sentencesLITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Parole Board is halting action under the state's new law that eliminates mandatory life-without-parole sentences for juveniles after a judge ruled it is unconstitutional. A law took effect in March making juvenile life-without-parole inmates eligible for release after serving 25 years for first-degree murder or 30 years for capital murder. The law affected 36 inmates already given life without parole for offenses com...

Inman says she'll run again for Arkansas secretary of stateLITTLE ROCK — A former state and local elections official says she's making another run for Arkansas secretary of state. Susan Inman announced Tuesday she's seeking the Democratic nomination for the post, currently held by Republican Mark Martin. Martin was first elected to the post in 2010 and is barred from seeking re-election next year because of term limits. Inman lost to Martin in the 2014 secretary of state's race. She served as director...

Arkansas governor travels to Washington to talk health lawLITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson says a meeting in Washington with other governors and Trump administration officials to discuss the health care overhaul was productive and that he's encouraged there's a commitment to include him and leaders from other states to find solutions to concerns with the law. Hutchinson's office said the Republican governor traveled to Washington on Monday morning for the White House meeting to discuss opti...

Woman's body found near Yell County lineDARDANELLE -- The decomposed body of a female was discovered Tuesday at 703 Delaware Bay Road, northwest of Dardanelle near the Yell and Logan County line. According to the Arkansas State Police (ASP), A request was received Tuesday afternoon from authorities within the Logan County Sheriff's Department requesting assistance of Special Agents of the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division. The state police will now lead the inves...

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Courier staff reportsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Council approves trail add-on, scoreboardThe Russellville City Council called a special meeting and approved ordinances that will fund an extension of the Phoenix Trail to the Russellville Aquatic Center and the donation of a scoreboard system for swim meets Tuesday at City Hall. Much of the discussion centered around whether or not ordinances to waive competitive bidding on the trail extension and the scoreboard donation should have been approved. Alderman Phil Sims said he didn't u...

Prosecutor: Tattoo photo should be blocked in upcoming murder trialProsecutors in the upcoming murder trial for Tyler J. Barefield, 36, filed a motion Monday to prevent a jury from seeing photographs of tattoos, commonly used by white supremacist groups, on at least one of the bodies of Beau Dewitt, 22, and Aaron Brock, 22, who were killed in September 2016 at the U-Pull-It Salvage Yard in Russellville. Court documents did not specify which body or if both bodies had the mentioned tattoos. Barefield, who is c...

Community people: Pope County Sheriff Shane Jones, Elizabeth Hunnicutt and Jennifer Lackie.THE COURIER / Submitted The co-leads of Relay For Life of Pope, Yell and Conway counties, Elizabeth Hunnicutt and Jennifer Lackie, recently presented Pope County Sheriff Shane Jones and the members of the Stan Maxwell Memorial Golf Tournament with a plaque of appreciation for their donations to the American Cancer Society. This year the annual golf fundraiser raised $14,714.80.

ObituariesIda Carr ATKINS -- Ida Evelyn (Pack) Carr, 88, formerly of Hector, passed away Monday, July 31, 2017. Our precious Ida was born Oct. 24, 1928, in Hector, daughter of the late John Roy Pack and Mary Josephine Walker Pack (McEntire). She was preceded in death by her parents; her step-father, Marshall McEntire; her loving husband, Cleburne Ray Carr; and three brothers and a sister-in-law, William Cletis Pack, Willard Clint Pack and Kenneth Pack a...

3 of 4 charged in Arkansas day care van death enter pleasMARION— Three of four women charged with manslaughter in the death of a 5-year-old boy who was left in a day care van in Arkansas have pleaded not guilty. Online court records show Felicia Phillips, Wanda Taylor and Kendra Washington pleaded not guilty on Monday in Crittenden County Circuit Court in Marion. The three are charged in the June 12 death of Christopher Gardner Jr., who authorities say was left in a day care van in West Memphis for ...

Obituary: Shirlene HollowoaSylvia Shirlene Hollowoa, 79, of Russellville passed away Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017, at her home. A complete obituary will be published in a future edition of The Courier. Arrangements are by Humphrey Funeral Service.